The announcement Tuesday that New Jersey Institute of Technology has climbed to No. 80 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities rankings — its highest-ever placement — is another example of how the Newark-based school its national reputation for excellence and innovation.
After all, in a ranking that often is static, the school has jumped 23 places in the past five years.
The university, however, also is thrilled that the rankings reflect its commitment to access and return on investment, categories that reflect NJIT’s mission. Consider:
- Social mobility: NJIT ranked No. 34, a 10-place gain from last year, recognizing the university’s role in supporting students from all backgrounds and helping them achieve strong outcomes.
- Value: NJIT ranked No. 83 in the category which weighs academic quality against cost.
All of this has helped NJIT climb to No. 40 among public schools.
The rankings follow similarly impressive accolades from the Princeton Review (No. 27 nationally for best value and No. 1 in New Jersey among public universities) and the Wall Street Journal (No. 26 nationally among all universities for alumni salaries and No. 30. For social mobility), and highlight outcomes in social mobility, value and national reputation.
President Teik Lim obviously was thrilled.
“Our impressive rankings reflect the extraordinary commitment of our faculty, staff, students and alumni in advancing NJIT’s mission as a leading public polytechnic research university,” he said.
“We are especially proud to be recognized for social mobility and value, which highlight our ability to provide life-changing opportunities and a strong return on investment for our students and their families.”
These strengths are evident in recent examples of student success, faculty research, innovation and entrepreneurial achievement at NJIT.
Brock Shahinian (Class of 2026) became NJIT’s first-ever Udall Scholar for his research into human-disrupted ecosystems, including work showing that pollinators in contaminated brownfields exhibited developmental changes linked to heavy metals. Meanwhile, student-faculty teams have excelled in entrepreneurship: the student pair of Aliza Mujahid and Mohammad Jafari were part of a team that reached the Top 8 in the global Hult Prize competition with DermaMech, a venture aimed at improving skin grafting outcomes and reducing rejection, infection and scarring.
By partnering with the Northeast Science and Technology Center, NJIT faculty are expanding upon their track record of translating fundamental research into products and services that benefit humanity. Projects include breakthroughs in battery technology, rapid PFAS detection processes and AI-powered digital accessibility solutions for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers watching online video content.
NJIT’s expertise in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and robotics supports more than $50 million in annual AI-related research. The university’s Grace Hopper AI Research Institute — created through a $10+ million investment — anchors AI activity on campus and houses both the Center for AI Research and the Institute for Data Science.
Alumni are among the most visible representatives of NJIT’s impact beyond the university, and their recent achievements further demonstrate the impact of an NJIT education: Nefferty Santiago ’95, ’99, head of Business Resiliency for the Americas at Marsh McLennan, was named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of New York City; Shail Khiyara ’88, a civil engineering graduate, has become a prominent figure in the future of agentic AI; and Jordan Hu ’89, founder and CEO of RiskVal Financial Solutions, was honored as New Jersey’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for 2025.
Lim said all of these efforts show the school’s momentum.
“NJIT’s rise in the national rankings demonstrates the momentum we have built and the promise of even greater achievements to come,” he said.
